To Albert Günther 25 February 1874
Down, | Beckenham, Kent.
Feb 25 1874
My dear Dr Günther
I have given, in my Descent, vol. 2. p. 12, an account from you of the curious brushes on the sides of the 2 sexes of Monacanthus.1 Now you no doubt will have seen an acct in the American Naturalist (1871 p. 119) of the brush-like scales with which the males alone of Mallotus villosus are provided, by which apparently 2 males hold the female during the act of spawning.2
Now will you be so kind as to tell me to what families the Monacanthus & Mallotus belong; that is, whether they are allied? Am I right in supposing that the use of the brush-like males is the same in these 2 genera?
I shd be very much obliged for any information & remain | yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin
It seems that with many Cyprinidæ two males attend on one female; what an odd anomaly this seems to be.—3
Footnotes
Bibliography
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Summary
Has given in Descent 2: 12, an account from AG of the brushes on the sides of Monacanthus; has now learned of brush-like scales on the males of Mallotus. Asks whether the two genera are related.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9315
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Albrecht Carl Ludwig Gotthilf (Albert) Günther
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Shrewsbury School, Taylor Library (38)
- Physical description
- LS(A) 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9315,” accessed on 29 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9315.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22